“I would love to work in multiple regional narratives," says Varun Badola

Inspired by 'Die Panne' (The Breakdown), a 1956 novel by Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Ranjit Kapoor's acclaimed teleplay 'Wrong Turn' produced by Zee Theatre is now being translated in Telugu for audiences in Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Veteran actor Varun Badola who plays a layered character in the teleplay is thrilled that now 'Wrong Turn' will reach a wider audience and says, "Because of dubbing, subtitling, and translations, multilingual stories are reaching more people than ever before. I have done two Tamil Ad films, but as an actor, I am looking forward to being a part of this shift and would love to work in many more regional narratives."

In 'Wrong Turn', he plays Arun, a man who walks into an old house one rainy night after his car breaks down. Here, he meets three retired lawyers amusing themselves with a game that he agrees to join. The lawyers recreate a trial scene, and soon Arun finds himself trapped in a game of wits. If proven guilty, he may even face an unthinkable fate. Varun is happy that plays like 'Wrong Turn' are now being archived for posterity and explains, "Usually a theatre group has to travel to different regions to reach a diverse audience but now a teleplay recreates a theatre like experience at home, can even be watched in different languages, offers an enriching intercultural experience and even breaks the language barrier. OTT has familiarised us with so many fantastic regional actors and now via 'Wrong Turn', the audience in Telangana will also get to know us."

He believes the play will strike a chord because it is not only an engrossing legal drama but also a story where the concept of poetic justice is explored. He explains, "In an era of excessive content, everyone gravitates towards their favourite genres. So those who are looking for good writing and strong performances will watch this play. Plus, a story about a mock trial where legal and natural justice blur, never ceases to engage audience attention."

'Wrong Turn' will be streamed on 16th September on Dish TV & D2H Rangmanch Active and Airtel Theatre in Telugu. The play also stars Govind Namdev, Lalit Tiwari, Suneel Sinha, Liliput Faruqui, Suzzane Mukherjee, Anangsha Biswas, Shalini Sharma, Niraj Sah and is directed by Ranjit Kapoor.